Shiawassee NWR, SA - This was the results of my weekly IWMMP survey along with non-waterbird observations.

I would encourage birders to take advantage of experiencing the tremendous flurry of avian activity on the wildlife drive between Pool 1A and Grefe Pond in the late afternoon until sunset. The waterfowl/gulls/blackbirds will humble anyone who witnesses the phenomenon. The drive is open today and tomorrow (Oct 30 & 31) from 1:00PM until sunset before closing for the remainder of the year.

The first winter Little Gull was resting on the water's surface with Bonaparte's Gulls in a channel inside a narrow island in the Shiawassee River. This spot is near the east end of the wildlife drive, just west of the triangle pool in the northeast corner. It flew off to the west to feed in the river so you'll want to look for it all along the wildlife river's view.

I wasn't able to concentrate on the tremendous influx of gulls in the late afternoon until sunset as I was there for a waterbird survey and a Sandhill Crane survey.

The blackbird species count occurred primarily in the early morning as massive numbers that stage on the North Marsh/Butch's Marsh exited in a steady stream. The bulk of the Common Grackles came from an orderly exit from an oak woodlot as they flew west to afford a systematic way to count them in groups of 50 to 100. Likewise with the Red-winged Blackbirds.